CT Scan Cost in California (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay

What does a ct scan cost in California?

Expect roughly $242 to $1,443 for a ct scan in California if you're commercially insured — that range already folds in both the facility charge and the physician fee. The median reported facility price across 167 hospitals is $571. It's built from CMS fee schedules and federally mandated hospital price transparency data.

The same CT Scan that costs $100 at Contra Costa County in Matrinez reaches $23,086 at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz — a 230.9× gap across the 167 California hospitals reporting prices. The median California price is $571. Most facilities fall between $134 and $1,243. Self-pay patients are quoted more than insurers actually pay: the median cash price is $571 versus a median negotiated rate of $134 — about 4.3× higher, so asking for the cash or insurer-negotiated rate is often the single biggest lever on your bill. Location within the state matters too: Long Beach has the lowest metro median ($134) while Sacramento runs highest ($1,024) — a 7.6× difference inside California alone.

Where ct scan costs vary in California

Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, and other facilities (colored by type). Click any pin for facility name and estimated cost range.

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The facility you choose matters more than almost anything else — the same procedure, same quality, same state can cost 5× more at one hospital versus the one down the road.

→ Compare all procedure costs   → CT Scan costs nationwide

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Lower-cost options in California start around $134 or below. Most hospitals cluster between $134 and $1,324. A smaller group reports prices above that — often academic medical centers or high-cost markets.

If you're comparing specific hospitals, the lowest self-pay rates reported in this dataset include: MOUNTAIN COMMUNTIES HEALTHCARE DISTRICT in Po Box 1229 (cash price from $55); San Joaquin General Hospital in French Camp (cash price from $59); El Camino Hospital in Mountain View (cash price from $68). These are declared cash prices — contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.

California CT Scan prices by facility

All prices below come from hospital chargemasters — the official price lists each hospital must publish under federal law. Gross charge is the undiscounted list price; cash price is the self-pay rate; negotiated range covers the spread across insurance contracts.

Source: CMS hospital price transparency machine-readable files. vs Median = savings or premium relative to the state median price. Gross Charge = undiscounted list price for reference.

Received a bill? Check it for errors → Estimate YOUR cost before you go →

Compare other procedures in California:

• Appendectomy Cost in California
• Cataract Surgery Cost in California

Where you can save the most on ct scan in California

These facilities have the lowest declared prices relative to the state median — they represent the best opportunities to reduce your out-of-pocket cost for this procedure.

Most expensive ct scan providers in California

These facilities report the highest prices for this procedure. Academic medical centers and specialty hospitals often top this list — their gross charges rarely reflect what anyone actually pays, but understanding the spread helps you negotiate.

Why prices vary this much

A small number of hospitals (14) report very high prices above $3,109, which drives much of the overall price range. Excluding these, most facilities cluster in a significantly tighter band.

Setting drives much of the gap in California: the median outpatient price is $299 versus $1,242 inpatient — about 4.2× more, so where a procedure is performed often matters more than which hospital you choose. Of the California facilities reporting prices, 59 fall in a low-cost tier (up to $134) while 57 sit in a high-cost tier ($1,324 and up) — a lower-priced option almost always exists within the same state.

Among the cities with the most reporting hospitals, Los Angeles has a median reported price of $458 across 10 facilities, while facilities in Long Beach tend to report lower prices (median: $134). City-level variation within a state often reflects local market structure, not procedure complexity.

The spread comes from how each hospital sets its chargemaster (the undiscounted list price), what cash discounts it applies, and what rates it negotiates with each insurer. Facility classification matters too — a hospital-owned outpatient center adds a facility fee that a freestanding clinic does not. Understanding these mechanics is the first step to paying less.

Learn more:
→ Allowed amount vs negotiated rate — what your EOB is really saying
→ How to read your medical bill
→ Why hospital prices are so hard to find — and what to do about it

How insurance changes what you actually pay

Hospital list prices are only part of the picture. What you pay out of pocket depends on your deductible, your plan's out-of-pocket maximum, whether the facility is in-network, and whether your plan classifies the visit as outpatient or inpatient. A lower gross charge doesn't guarantee a lower bill if the facility is out-of-network or adds facility fees your plan doesn't cover.

Understand your cost before you go:
→ Deductible vs out-of-pocket max
→ EOB vs medical bill — complete guide
→ How to stop medical bill problems before they start (in-network vs out-of-network)

Compare ct scan costs in nearby states

• Nevada
• Arizona
• Oregon
• Washington

Frequently asked questions: CT Scan costs in California

How much does a CT Scan cost in California?

Across 167 California hospitals that publish prices, a CT Scan ranges from $100 to $23,086, with a median of $571. Most facilities fall between $134 and $1,243. What you pay depends on the facility, your insurance, and whether you have met your deductible.

Where is the cheapest place to get a CT Scan in California?

Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our California data is ADVENTIST HEALTH - ST HELENA-VALLEJO at about $53. By metro, Long Beach has the lowest median ($134). Freestanding ambulatory surgery and imaging centers are often cheaper still and may not appear in hospital price data — ask your doctor whether one is an option.

Why is a CT Scan so much cheaper at some California hospitals?

Prices vary up to 230.9× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In California, the median cash (self-pay) price is $571 versus a median negotiated rate of $134 — about 4.3× higher. Asking for the cash price or your insurer's negotiated rate is often the single biggest lever on what you pay.

How much will I actually pay out of pocket for a CT Scan in California?

Your out-of-pocket cost depends on your deductible, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, and whether the facility is in-network — not just the sticker price. If you have not met your deductible, you will typically pay the negotiated rate in full until you do. Use the CostKits cost forecaster to estimate your specific out-of-pocket amount before you go.

Explore all ct scan cost data

→ See ct scan costs across all states